'because marriage is a method by which men control women.'

Classic. You'd get on with SJF I reckon!

Then why are women often so keen for it and men often not?

How old are you? I think these days women hold a lot of the cards. Actually even in the old days, I know from observing many parents of friends and family and friends that the wife was boss of the house.

The amount of Dads that had lists made by their wife of all their jobs to do on the weekend, with pocket money given by their wives for beer and being dragged along to family stuff when they wanted to go to the pub or watch sport on TV instead!

I always read of these terrible downtrodden chattel pre-feminism, but my grandparents always looked like they had a happy marriage, and if anything grandma was running the show that's for sure.

G'Day All,
I would just like to say that verse from your Nieces Wedding Foxy is BLOODY BEAUTIFUL & thanks for sharing it with us all.
From Dave

Dear Piper,

No it didn't mean literally working alongside.
Perhaps I should have made it a bit clearer.
Although I did say that the key to all this
is that if only one person does all they can to
keep their relationship healthy - it's not enough.
It takes two. If the other partner doesn't try,
then it's like one hand clapping. It has to meet
the other hand to make the sound of applause.
In other words - it takes two to make any
relationship a success.

Dear dwg,

Thank You - I loved the words as well.

Dear seeker,

Not at all. I was just trying not to sound too
cliched. Is all.
My second post was what I really felt.

Houellebecq, marriage ceremonies conducted under
Australian law have their origin as contracts recognising
a man's ownership of a woman. whilst property laws
have changed and women have gained ownership of
themselves in their own right, marriage ceremonies
are still conducted under law which provides for men's
legislatures only. marriage ceremonies are blatantly
sexist despite the many permutations women and men
have achieved to accommodate a sexist legal regime.
my age?, my abridged bio is here. [ http://2mf.net/philip.htm ]
I have enjoyed three significant de facto marriages
sans ceremony, my most recent wife passed away aged
47 years from a stroke a few years ago.
these days i spend most of my free time with my
daughter and grandaughter.

Whistler, wow.

Amazing stuff and I know nothing about art but it feels very “clean” with the lines and almost like looking at quilts. That “first site government house” one seemed very different from the paintings. Do you always paint standing with the painting quite low?

I loved them and haven’t seen anything like them before.

I am sorry to hear about your wife and I hope you are enjoying your wee granddaughter.

Hey Foxy, yeah nah I thought it was more about direction rather than a literal thing. I’m just wrapping my thoughts around what you just said about both together and taking two, one hand clapping and all that. You know Yabby’s thread and the paralyzed dude? I never did go read about him but if he was married and vows said etc – would that be a situation where vows become void or do vows never become void?

Would that be a situation where society would understand one married person leaving their partner? “Sickness and in Health” not really meaning that kind of devastating sickness?

I guess if you have two normal people, limited hang-ups with normal IQ’s etc then a partnership is sometimes about one taking charge, being stronger, carrying both people etc for a time and hopefully it isn’t always the same person each time. Or you pick your strengths and take assumed roles all the time. Or it evolved into the roles but hopefully both are happy with them.

I am actually confusing myself even more.

DEAR The Pied Piper
I am in love with a nice lady!, I THINK with the best woman in the universe!
The words are ver poor to express her value for me.
Only a god knows, if he/she exists, the size and the quality of my love for my sweet girl.
I ASKED MY HONEY TO SPEED UP THE PROCCES FOR HER DIVORCE.
I promised (vow)her that always I will love her with the same passion as I love her NOW.
My good friend you are lucky. You do not have this kind of "problems"
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide